In a negotiation, the more you control its flow, the more you ensure a successful outcome. In order to do so, you must control your thoughts, your perspective, and that of the other negotiator.
The following are 7 ways you can control your perspective and that of the other negotiator during a negotiation.
- Treat the other negotiator with respect:
- It sounds so common to say you should treat people with respect, but too many times people get hung up on themselves and neglect to be respectful of the other negotiation. Doing so could entail something as simple as acknowledge the situation she’s in and her expectations for the negotiation’s outcome. Think about other things you can do to display respect in your negotiations.
- Detect the mindset and demeanor of the other negotiator, before, during, and after the negotiation:
- By paying attention to the altering demeanor of the other negotiator you gain insight into her mindset. If you’re astute, you’ll note at what points in the negotiation such shifts occur. That will also allow you the wherewithal to shift the flow of the negotiation.
- Learn how to accurately read body language:
- Accurately reading body language will enhance all aspects of your life. In a negotiation, being able to read the opposing negotiator’s thoughts gives you a behind the scenes view of what they’re thinking and how they might respond to offers. Armed with this insight you shift your offer to be more receptive.
- Project the appropriate persona:
- In every negotiation, we play a part. That part is partially determined by the persona you wish to project, based on the goals you seek to achieve. To pull your persona off correctly, play the part of the role you’re projecting and do so convincingly.
- Understand the words your counterpart uses to represent her thoughts:
- When it comes to communication, make sure you’re really communicating. Sometimes, people may use a word to represent their thought to find out the other person has a different perspective of what the word implies. If you have doubts about her intentions stop and confirm them. If you fail to confirm her meaning, you could be miscommunicating and not aware of it until you’re deep into the negotiation.
- Take note of the little things that occur in and during the negotiation:
- Being astute during the negotiation means being keenly aware of the shifting nuances that constantly occur. If you think paying attention to little things is beneath you, you increase your chances of coming out on the underside of the negotiation. It’s the little things that add up to big results.
- Debrief after a negotiation:
- By going through a debriefing process after a negation, you have the opportunity to assess what work, what didn’t work, and what you could have done differently to enhance the outcome of the negotiation. Plus you’ll gain added benefits by doing the debriefing shortly after the negotiation, because its activities will still be fresh in your mind, but not clouded by its occurrences.
By following the 7 steps above, you’ll ensure an easier-flowing negotiation, which will lead to more successful negotiation outcomes …. and everything will be right with the world.
Remember, you’re always negotiating!